Pentanummium - 5 Nummi (527-565). Justinian I Very Fine

Prijsbieding

The obverse depicts an imperial bust facing right, wearing a pearl-diadem, with draped clothing and cuirass (draped and cuirassed bust). The surviving legend […]VS P P AVG preserves part of the emperor’s titulature, including the honorary formula P P AVG (Pater Patriae Augustus, “Father of the Fatherland, Augustus”), a title frequently appearing on Roman imperial coinage.

The reverse features a large Christogram ☧ (Chi-Rho), the Christian monogram formed by the Greek letters Chi (Χ) and Rho (Ρ). This symbol was officially adopted by the Roman Empire after the victory of Constantine the Great and became one of the most important emblems of the new Christian imperial identity. In the lower field, in the exergue, appears the mark CON, most likely referring to the mint of Constantinopolis (Constantinople).

Historical context:
The type belongs to the period of transformation of the Roman Empire during the 4th century AD, when, following the Edict of Milan of 313 AD and the gradual rise of Christianity, Christian symbols began to appear on imperial coinage alongside traditional expressions of Roman authority. The presence of the Christogram on coins symbolized divine favor toward the emperor and the close connection between imperial power and the newly accepted Christian faith.

The exact attribution remains uncertain due to the incomplete legend and the small size of the specimen. The coin may represent either a rare and poorly documented official issue or a contemporary imitation, produced during the same period by local or unofficial workshops that reproduced imperial coin types.

Rarity:
An interesting and potentially rare specimen, notable for its historical significance and for the combination of a late Roman imperial portrait with a prominent Christian symbol. The coin provides valuable evidence of the gradual Christianization of Roman monetary imagery during the Late Empire.

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